The press have often expressed how much Plumbers can earn in the UK. The lack of Plumbers in the UK has led to salaries of 30-70k p.a. being exhibited. So, is this the truth of the matter, or are we being lied to? For the competent and correctly skilled person, this level of salary is realistic. In fact, earnings in excess of 70 – 100k p.a. are achievable – but that is solely for those who work within the self-employed market-place, rather than those who work within established employment routes.

To be fair being with a regular employer often results in working from Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm as standard. Normal remuneration such as holiday pay and sickness allowance, along with wages of between 15k and 30K p.a., are usual from UK companies in this area. The self-employed person can generally achieve higher incomes than those available from the traditional approach, but would need to consider working ‘out of hours’ – and probably longer than the typical 9am-6pm Mon-Fri model. This is more noticeable when the self employed plumber chooses to work in the domestic market, as result often requiring many evening and weekend visits to suit their clients.

There is also the issue of self-employment itself – which definitely suits some people more than it suits others. Finally there is good ‘business sense’, such as getting the hourly rate correct, advertising and marketing budgets spot on which are all important. There are additional charges levied to people who work for themselves including legal and accountancy fees as well as those relating to materials and transport. Although it is expected that these can be relatively small in relation to the earnings overall they can mount up, but then so can the benefits. Added to that, the positives virtually always outstrip the negatives!

Firstly, it is the ordinary employer who covers most of the needs and teaching prospects that Student Entrants are interested in. The need to increase their certifications and accreditations regularly affect the Self Employed Entrant. To be fair it is the ‘domestic’ market which appeals to a large number of self-employed plumbers and not necessarily that of the commercial sector. (At least most of them do)

In terms of plumbing education, there appears to be some similarity between the certification modules required by each path into the industry. Without a doubt the issue of NVQ’s (SVQ’s in Scotland) raises a constant concern as to the way forward.

To begin with, the Student Entrant appears to rely more heavily on the NVQ structure than the Self Employed Entrant. The Self Employed Entrant will often call upon a wider range of certifications right from the outset; in order to satisfy their perceived client’s requirements. To satisfy their typical household-based client base many self-employed persons will need to quickly focus on the relative domestic skill sets. The Student Entrant will often carry on their studies in the workplace under an apprenticeship where the NVQ element can be assessed. Due to the cost effectiveness of this study the Student Entrant can make strong savings from the outset. However, in relation to the Student Entrant the Self Employed Entrant will gain certifications faster and therefore achieve substantial financial gains in the long term.

To be sure the financial returns required is the result of clear careers discussions covering certification and the overall study requirements. It is extremely difficult for adults with a family to look after and needing 20kp.a. to consider going back to college and spending 3 years on low paid-apprenticeship work. It should also be borne in mind that many young Student Entrants have their studies paid for them as part of their overall apprenticeships, whereas the self-employed student generally funds the course themselves. For self-employed people these costs are set by the course structure and the level of certification sought and can end up between 3k-10k+.

For the most part the private colleges are the domain of the Self Employed Entrant whereas the Student Entrant is required to study at recognised further-education colleges. Plumbing training companies can offer commercial routes in to reputable training paths that cover the necessary qualifications and skill-sets. This method offers key advantages to Self Employed Students, allowing them to train evenings, part-time or on self-study classes thereby continuing with their existing jobs and maintaining their financial situation. With so many colleges at hand, the key is to secure as many with technical data sources and gather them. Why not book mark this page (CTRL-D) and then you can come back and review your options from the links and adverts we have provided for you.

It is through the use of bonus courses that many plumbing students want to increase their ‘marketability’. It is by training in areas such as Gas, Green Energy and Electrical that Plumbers can gain extra certifications. A popular route for Plumbers involves that of the normal domestic and commercial heating system training program of Gas Training.

Gas Training, with subjects followed by a focus on NVQ’s is recognised as an accurate and exact training program. It also features many options for on-going training, especially for those who trained as a plumber first and are now looking at some extra skills to add to their stable. It could be said that the blend of training covering Plumbing/Gas training is better matched to the mature student. Indeed, the path for the Mature Student seems to be to drop the NVQ elements and to focus on the core subjects.

It is from this particular training program that the self-employed professional gains ground. The attraction is certainly the chance to gain a wider range of skill sets and earn money from them. This alone can add to their industrial viewpoint, as opposed to relying on sub-contracting core elements to third parties. Sub-contracting can not only reduce the earning potential of a job, but also erode the value in the customer’s eye, as they may have to wait for key stages to be handled by someone else before the final completion of the job. To have a higher value within their client base a Plumber needs to consider their relative skill sets that they offer.

In conclusion, the Self Employed Entrant can enjoy a much higher (and more quickly achieved) income than a Student Entrant, but they would have to work at developing a broader range of certifications (and consider the business side of things too.) Note: This information relates to the UK market, policies and industry requirements alone.

Author: Scott Edwards. Visit Courses In Plumbing or CLICK HERE.

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